Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Muhammad Yasin Malik has paid tributes to late Agha Shahid Ali saying “he was a man of humility.”

“He was a passionate Kashmiri who never stopped thinking about his mother land. He was a patriot Kashmiri who always remembered his motherland. Kashmiris have a bad habit of forgetting their own people who have earned fame across the globe,” Malik said.

Recounting his close friendship with the late poet, JKLF chairman said that “I visited him when he was on death bed. He was so humble that when I was about to leave the room, he told me he was sorry that he could not accompany me to the door.”

Recalling his poem ‘I see Kashmir from New Delhi at Midnight’ wherein he has talked about ‘torture centre Papa-2’, Malik said that “I have spent one night at the Papa-2, but Ali never visited that place and yet he wrote in a way as if he was held captive at the place for years together,”

“Kashmiris never remember those whose talent has been acknowledged worldwide and this was one of the bad habits we as a nation posses. We shower praises on the people who have no connection with Kashmir, but forget the contribution and the talent of own people who earn laurels outside,” he said.

“Agha Shahid lived in US but his soul always remained in Kashmir. This is why despite being a highly celebrated poet, he always remained wedded to his nation and wrote commendable poetry on Kashmir,” he said.